The Importance of Amazon Customer Reviews for Your Business

Online reviews are the modern equivalent of word-of-mouth marketing, wielding immense power and significantly impacting how your business is perceived. A study last year discovered that:

• A whopping 79% of consumers place the same level of trust in online reviews as they do in personal recommendations.
• Local businesses benefit greatly from online reviews, with 85% of consumers reading them.
• Positive customer reviews build trust, as confirmed by 73% of consumers.

While dreaming of five-star ratings is great, achieving a stellar Amazon review count requires more than just wishing. This post will delve into the importance of Amazon customer reviews and explore various legitimate and not-so-legitimate methods to earn them.

How Amazon Customer Reviews Benefit Your Business

Amazon reviews serve multiple purposes:

• They can persuade hesitant shoppers to make a purchase.
• They can convince consumers to choose your product over competitors.
• They reassure customers about product quality.
• They act as virtual word-of-mouth recommendations.

The Power of Product Reviews and Human Psychology

Studies highlight word-of-mouth as the most effective marketing tool – even in the digital age. When people recommend something, we inherently listen. Despite our modern lives, we’re still influenced by our ancestors’ behaviors. We’re hardwired to make choices based on others’ actions, finding safety in numbers. When many people endorse a product, we tend to desire it too, illustrating the herd mentality.

As a frequent user of Slickdeals, a website aggregating daily online deals, I’ve observed this herd mentality firsthand. Countless impulsive purchases are made based on forum comments like “in for 3, what a steal!” or “these will sell out fast at this price.” This often leads to unnecessary purchases, dubbed “the SD effect.” This underscores our innate tendency to follow the crowd.

Sheep might disagree (photo courtesy net_efekt)

The More Amazon Reviews, the Better

Social proof is a powerful force, and its impact multiplies with quantity. A product with a 4.5-star rating from 10 reviews won’t perform as well as a 4-star rated product with 300 reviews. A higher review count enhances your product’s visibility in Amazon searches, making it appear more reliable and convincing to potential buyers.

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Five Tips to Gain Amazon Reviews

Here’s how to acquire legitimate, 100% authentic Amazon customer reviews:

1. Provide a stellar customer experience. Most negative reviews stem from customers feeling misled about a product. Be upfront about what you’re selling and provide comprehensive and accurate product information to avoid confusion and unmet expectations. 2. Send post-purchase emails requesting feedback. While Amazon sends generic feedback requests, personalize yours. Send them soon after product delivery, while the experience is still fresh. Utilize platforms like FeedbackFive or Feedback Express to automate personalized feedback requests. Include a direct link to simplify the review process for customers. 3. Solicit reviews through newsletters and social media. Your newsletter subscribers and social media followers already appreciate your brand, making them ideal candidates for reviews. Since they are likely past customers, they can provide genuine, positive Amazon reviews. Unlike Yelp’s discouragement of direct review solicitation, Amazon is more lenient in this regard. 4. Reach out to reviewers of similar products. Identify these reviewers by visiting your product page and checking “Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought” and “Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed.” These are your competitors, and analyzing their reviews (both positive and negative) can provide valuable insights. Visiting their websites can also be beneficial.

Focusing on Amazon reviews, click the “customer reviews” link and sort by newest. Clicking a reviewer’s name reveals their details. If their contact info is linked, reach out directly. If only their name is displayed, try connecting through other social platforms like Twitter or Facebook. 5. Target top Amazon reviewers. Amazon maintains a list of its top reviewers known for their insightful and unbiased critiques. Many hold titles like “Top Ten Reviewer” or “Hall of Fame Reviewer,” adding weight to their reviews.

Let’s explore how to locate these sought-after Amazon reviewers.

Engaging Top Amazon Reviewers

Securing a review from these elite reviewers can significantly benefit your Amazon seller account. These individuals are highly influential, and here’s how to capture their attention.

Keep in mind that some reviewers do this professionally, potentially writing up to 100 reviews monthly. Be prepared to offer free products in exchange for a review. Depending on your product’s value, this could be costly, so evaluate your budget. 1. Locate the top reviewers. Start by navigating to the Amazon list of Top Reviewers.. The page is split into “Top Reviewer Rankings” and “Hall of Fame Reviewers.” The latter showcases long-standing, reputable reviewers, while the former features the current best Amazon contributors. Both sections display reviewers’ badges and accolades (visible by hovering over names in the “Top Reviewers” section). 2. Look for relevant tags. Hovering over names in either section reveals the reviewer’s most frequently used tags. Your aim is to identify top reviewers who have previously used tags aligning with your product or industry, making them ideal targets.

3. Create a contact list. Compile a contact list using a spreadsheet to manage this information efficiently. 4. Search for email addresses. Many prominent reviewers provide their email addresses on their profile pages. If unavailable, you’ll need to utilize social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.).

5. Send a thoughtful email. When reaching out, be genuine. Explain that you discovered their Amazon reviews and believe they might be interested in reviewing your product. Avoid generic mass emails. Personalize each message, demonstrating that you’ve read their past reviews. Commenting on a particularly insightful or well-written review can be effective. Personalization significantly increases response rates. Emphasize your desire for an honest review, clarifying that there’s no obligation. Expect a low response rate, with roughly half potentially reviewing the product. It’s a gamble, but if your product is exceptional, positive reviews from these top Amazon reviewers will be invaluable. 6. Express gratitude. As highlighted in How to Win Friends and Influence People, everyone appreciates genuine appreciation. Follow up and sincerely thank the top Amazon reviewers for their time and feedback. While securing reviews from Amazon’s best critics requires effort, the payoff in the form of glowing reviews makes it worthwhile.

Rainbow Brite understands the power of stars

Exploring Fake Reviews: A Risky Alternative

Amazon is making efforts to combat fake reviews, but their effectiveness is debatable. This dilemma is similar to the controversy surrounding buying Twitter followers, posing ethical concerns.

We believe in providing all the information, allowing you to decide which path to take.

As always, fake reviews are readily available for those willing to take the risk. Here are a few sources for fabricated Amazon customer reviews:

• Fiverr. Fiverr offers a peculiar mix of services, some bordering on unethical. As the internet’s underbelly for cheap services, it includes artificial Amazon reviews..
• BuyAmazonReviews.com. Surprisingly, buying Amazon reviews is possible, though its trustworthiness is questionable. Proceed with caution. Remember that getting caught using fake reviews can lead to severe consequences, including account suspension. High risk, high reward – the choice is yours.

Dealing with Negative Amazon Reviews

Earning a living online can be challenging. The internet provides anonymity, emboldening some to post harsh criticisms they wouldn’t voice in person. Expect negative reviews; it’s not a matter of “if” but “when.”

Be prepared. You will encounter negative reviews, some potentially scathing. Criticism can be unfair, undeserved, or even cruel, and there’s no internet police to regulate it. Handling such situations falls upon you. Here are our suggestions: Don’t react immediately. Negative reviews sting. Upon receiving one, step back. Take a day or two to calm down and then objectively assess the situation. Is the review valid? Could it help you improve your product? Or is it purely emotional? Other users can distinguish baseless rants, so while your star rating might be affected, readers will recognize the review’s lack of merit. If the review is highly emotional, a cooling-off period benefits both parties. The reviewer might realize their initial reaction was unreasonable and be open to editing it. Tread carefully. Decide whether to respond to negative feedback. This is tricky, as the approach differs for Amazon resellers dealing with negative seller feedback versus negative product reviews.

• Amazon Resellers: Analyze the buyer’s issues. Can you resolve the problem? Consider offering a refund or replacement. Buyers can retract feedback within 60 days, so there’s usually room for resolution.
• Negative Amazon Product Reviews: Public responses can be detrimental, especially if others side with the reviewer. Focus on burying negative reviews with new positive ones. While Amazon removes reviews in specific situations like involving privacy violations or obscene language, these are uncommon.

Celebrate Those Five-Star Reviews!

We’ve provided you with the knowledge to generate excellent Amazon reviews. Do you have any additional Amazon insights? Share them in the comments below!